


MATING RUN

by kingstoken



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Everyone Is A Grounder (The 100), F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2019-05-29 04:37:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15065258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kingstoken/pseuds/kingstoken
Summary: "I'm beyond all that, I'm too old to go on a mating run.""Abby, you're in heat." Abby could hardly deny it, most likely Callie could smell it.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was created for the [The 100 Rare Pairs Event](http://the100rarepairsevent.tumblr.com/). I took inspiration from this [work](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13526211). This fic is influenced by A/B/O, but it's softer and it doesn't strictly follow the Omegaverse rules, as I am aware of them. This is also a Grounder AU, but only in the vaguest sense. I basically took a few different concepts and smushed them together.

Abby stood near the village gates, she was with others, she stood a little apart from the rest of the group, she really didn't belong with them. Most of the people present were young, close to her daughter's age. Thank the Commanders, her daughter was away at Polis, she didn't think she could have stood by and let her daughter be part of this mating run. She had hoped to avoid this one herself, until she started showing signs a few days ago. She was overly emotional, she found it hard to concentrate on anything and, of course, the repeated thoughts about sex. But still, she had hoped to hide away in her home on this particular night, that had been her plan until Callie had confronted her this morning.

"You have to go on the run. You're an Omega." She knew it had been a mistake to leave her hut on this particular day, but she had gone into her back garden to harvest some medicinal herbs, hoping to distract herself, and this is where Callie found her.

"I'm beyond all that, I'm too old to go on a mating run."

"Abby, you're in heat." Abby could hardly deny it, most likely Callie could smell it.

"It doesn't matter, I'm not going on the run."

"That is not setting a very good example" Indra said, coming around the corner of Abby's hut. Abby groaned, Indra was the last person she wanted to see. Indra was the leader of their village, Abby was almost at her level, being on the village council, but Indra was one of a few people that held a position of power over Abby.

"Was there something you needed, Indra?"

"Dried willow bark, Terek's youngest son has a sore throat."

"I have some inside." Abby went inside, she located the container of bark and dispensed a small amount into a cloth pouch. She was only gone a few minutes, but when she returned she found Indra and Callie with their heads together, whispering, they broke apart when Abby handed Indra the pouch.

"Abby, I've been discussing things with Callie and I'm afraid I agree with her"

"But..."

"I understand your reasoning, and I know this run could be especially difficult for you. However, our people look up to you, as our healer and as a member of the council. How would it look if you flouted our traditions?" Abby found she couldn't disagree with Indra, so this is how she found herself corralled with the other Omegas waiting for darkness to fully descend. Soon the gates would be thrown open, the Omegas would run out into the forest and await the presence of the Alpha, who would find them and choose one of them as a mate. Many of the young Omegas were restless and agitated, some were rubbing their hands up and down their arms and legs, others moaned or whimpered. Abby hadn't had a heat like that in over twenty years, not since before Jake. Abby had only been on two mating runs since Jake's death nearly ten years ago. Both times she was relieved not to be chosen by the Alpha, because she hadn't been ready for a new mate. The last run occurred a little over four years ago. At the time Clarke was still living at home and things were not good between, the thought of bringing another person into that tense environment had not been appealing. Things were substantially better since Clarke moved out, their mother-daughter relationship had transformed into a deep friendship.

Abby heard two of the Omegas whispering behind her, they were trying to guess who the Alpha might be. As was tradition, when an Alpha presented they were sequestered away from the village, in a building nick named Alpha house, to await the next full moon and the hosting of the mating run. Several non-Omega villagers would join the Alpha in their secluded location to help hide the Alpha's identity. Ideally the identity of the Alpha would not be revealed until the morning after the run when they would return to village with their selected mate. That didn't stop people from speculating, and it didn't change the fact that Abby knew who this particular Alpha was.

Abby had gone to Alpha house a week ago, not to find out the identity of the Alpha, but to see someone else, Marcus. At that point he had been missing a week. Once upon a time she would have rejoiced in his absence. Theirs had been an antagonistic relationship, but over the years they had come to respect and rely on each other and an abiding friendship had formed. Unless he was away on a trading mission, they spent part of every day together, often sharing a mid-day meal, and since Clarke had moved out, their evening meals as well. And that is what made it so unusual when he just disappeared one day. Abby had been worried until she heard about the Alpha, then she knew that Marcus must have been recruited to accompany the Alpha, but she didn't understand why he didn't come see her before leaving. No one would confirm or deny that Marcus was part of the Alpha's group. After a week of wondering and worrying Abby decided to find out for herself.

It was against the rules for an Omega to visit Alpha house when an Alpha was present, but Abby used her power as council member to easily by pass the outer sentries. The first problem she encountered was the guard at the the door. Terek refused to go tell Marcus she was there. She tired a variety of tactics, from sweet to forceful, but still Terek refused to budge. Abby was yelling when the door behind Terek opened.

"Abby?" And suddenly she knew she'd made a terrible mistake, because Marcus wasn't part of the Alpha's group, he was the Alpha. She could smell it on him, it seemed to come off him in waves.

"Is everything alright?" Abby's mind went blank, she couldn't seem to form an answer.

"I'm going to talk to her privately for a moment."

"You're not supposed to" protested Terek.

"I know, but it must be important or she wouldn't have trekked all the way up here." Marcus took Abby's arm and lead her away from the house into the woods. His touch seemed to sizzle up her arm. Abby knew it was a perfectly natural reaction to an Alpha's touch, but it was still a bit disconcerting, she was always so comfortable around Marcus. He released her arm once they entered a small clearing.

"Now Abby, why are you here?"

"I ..." her reason seemed foolish now "I was worried about you." Marcus looked at her incredulously.

"You disappeared and no one would tell me where you were."

"I told Indra to explain things."

"All she would say was that you were alright." 

"Because your an Omega?"

"Probably." Marcus sighed, running his fingers through his hair. Abby found her eyes drawn to the repetitive motion.

"I'm sorry, Abby. everything happened so quickly. I should have written you a note and had one of the boys deliver it." Abby nodded her acceptance of his apology, then stared at him for a long moment.

"I guess congratulations are in order. I'm sorry, that probably wasn't the appropriate thing to say. I'm a little surprised by all this.

"I was surprised too, but I've been speaking with a few of the village elders and they say it is not unheard of for an Alpha to present for a second time if they didn't find a mate for whatever reason, I'm just a little older than most." Abby knew Marcus had presented at twenty-one, but the timing had been terrible, they had been in the middle of a war with Azgeda and he had been away fighting in battle, by the time he returned the full moon had passed, as had his chance to find a mate.

"I'm happy for you." He smiled in gratitude. A smile that did funny things to Abby's stomach.

"I should go" said Abby "I'm not really supposed to be here."

"Bye, Abby. I'll see you in little over a week. As Marcus turned and walked away Abby called

"Marcus, I hope you find .." she couldn't bring herself to say mate "I hope you find everything you're looking for."

"Thank you, I think I will" he said, walking away with a little spring in his step. That was the last time Abby spoke to Marcus. Part of her recognized it as a good thing, it had given her time to think and prepare, because Marcus didn't seem to realize it, but everything was about to change. Currently they spent a great deal of their free time together, but after he took a mate he would be expected to share his meals, his evenings, everything with them. And, it wasn't until this past week that Abby saw how lonely her life would become.

There was a creaking noise and Abby watched as the village gates swung open. The Omegas swarmed past her, she was the last to exit. She watched the others run into the heart of the woods. Her first instinct was to run as well, to experience the night air glide across her skin, to feel the anticipation, but her heart wasn't in it. Instead she walked along the village outer walls and made her way to a nearby creek bed. In a spot underneath a large maple was a fallen log she often liked to sit on, it was as good a place as any to wait out this interminable night. She at down and listened to the crickets and watched the moonlight reflect off the water. She had brought Marcus here a few times, on hot summer days when they sought out shade away from the village. So many of her memories from the past few years included him in some way. She felt tears gather in her eyes, she let them fall. She could feel the emotions of longing and regret rise up and overcome her. Oh, what an awful time to realize she felt so much more than friendship for Marcus Kane.


	2. Chapter 2

He felt like he could run forever. He had been released from Alpha house shortly before, and his first instinct was to run, to seek, to find. All his senses seemed heightened, he could hear the rustling of the leaves, heavy breathing and faint whispers. His strongest sense was smell, he knew of the presence of the Omegas without ever seeing them. As a group their smell could be overwhelming, but individually they each expressed a distinct scent. Marcus was drawn further away from Alpha House. He never felt so alive, so free. This time was different from the last, the first time had been intense, almost painful, he hadn't felt like himself. Perhaps that was because he had been denied the traditions afforded an Alpha, or perhaps it was just because he had been young.

He picked up a scent, it was fainter than the rest, but it was undeniably sweet. It teased his nostrils, he found himself drawn to it, even though there were stronger, easier to find smells near by. He pursued the scent and found himself much closer to the village then he expected. As he drew near he became aware of noise, it almost sounded like someone was sobbing. Then he saw her, sitting on a fallen log, bathed in moonlight. She sensed his presence, she saw him then quickly looked away, trying to wipe the tears from her face.

"Abby, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, I'm fine."

"Abby" he said, his tone unbelieving. He sat beside her. Abby fidgeted and moved slightly away from him, she was agitated by his close proximity. He could smell that sweet scent, the one he had been following for miles. He fought the urge to bury his face into her hair and neck. Abby began to speak and he had to use all his will power to concentrate.

"It's just, I know this will probably be the last mating run I will ever go on, which means I will never again have a mate."

"Do you want one?"

"I thought I didn't, but then these last few days have been difficult." What did she mean? Was it difficult because he wasn't there? It was hard to think straight when the one thought repeating in his head, over and over, was that he should pull her closer. Abby took a bracing breath and Marcus found his eyes drawn to her chest.

"Don't worry about me, I'm just being maudlin. This is your special night, you go on" she said indicating the woods. Marcus could still hear and smell the other Omegas, but they held no appeal. He suddenly realized that he had been so excited to experience the mating run that he hadn't actually thought about the end result, who his mate would be. When he only person he could ever want as a mate was woman sitting right next to him. 

"I don't want to" he said.

"I know how devastated you were to miss your first run, I won't let you miss this opportunity because of me" she insisted. 

"No, I don't want to go, because I want you." Abby showed surprise. He reached his hand out and caressed her face, sparks shot up his arm. She nuzzled her face into palm for just moment, then pulled away.

"Abby, do you feel anything more then friendship for me?"

"I do, but ..." He didn't let her finish, he kissed her. The kiss was unlike any he had ever experienced, it was full of passion and electricity, but it also felt like home.

* * *

After a vigorous night Abby and Marcus returned to the village. Callie and Indra watched Marcus and Abby pass through the gates hand and hand.

"I knew it" said Callie.

"We all knew it. They were the only two that needed to be made aware" said Indra "I'm glad I slipped annis flower pollen into Abby's tea."

"Indra! That stuff can cause an Omega to go into heat."

"I know" said Indra with a smile.


End file.
